The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-01-20

in the story that the Indian was relating. The
tale that he was telling by indirection was OF
the murder Of an old man who was looking for
cattle, and the person who gave heed 10 his
words was Ezra Sherman, whose father had
been murdered. The details Of Silverhecrs
story corresponded with the circumstances at
tending the elder Sherman's death. and the son.
as he heard the brutal Indian describe the event
step by step, grew wild with rage because he
was convinced that he was listen
ing to his fathers assassin. But he
was just man. and refrained from hasty vic
lence. However, he determined to find out
whether the Indian was guilty, and he listened
and encouraged him to talk. The Indian finally
saiG that the old man whom he killed was
gathering May-apples and he remarked upon
the peculiar formation Of his victims head,
which had q double crown. and had enabled the
slayer to get an unusually large scalp, and in
finishing his story he said that the rifle of the
murdered man had been placed In the trunk Of q
hollow tree near the scene of the tragedy.
Young Sherman at once went to the spot where
his father Ind fallen, and after short search
found his parents rifle in the hollow Of q tree
near by, where 1t had been placed four years
before by the assassin.
The finding of the gun as the sequel to the In
dams tale convinced young Sherman that he
had discovered the murderer of his father, and
he was called upon to avenge IT,
Two days later q party of hunters who were
returning to their homes in the evening saw tho
body Of q man at the edge of q forest lying half
in the soft shadow and half in the ghostly moon
light 1t was silverheels, with rifle bullet
through his heart
Indians were not the only source of danger to
the pioneers. They had to contend with floods,
and with well nigh fatal scarcity Of food at
times, and ut other times smallpox made the
dreadful ravages among them that 1t SO often
does In Q new country.
The famine of 1880 nearly destroyed the set.
tlement. II was as late as June Of the previous
year when they got their corn planted and
cold weather came very early, SO that the grain
was frozen before it had had an opportunity to
ripen, but II was gathered and put away, for II
was supposed that when 1t was well dried
IT would be good to eat Experience proved
that 1t was wholly unfit for consumption by
either man or beast, as every one who partoOk
Of meal made from it became violently i'll at
once. So corn rose In price from fifty cents to
two dollars bushel, and could scarcely be had
ut ALL The settlers were In desperate circum.
stances. There was q dearth Of game at the
same time. The river furnished small guam
tity of fish, SO by that means the poorer families
were saved from absolute starvation. Many ex-
pedients were resorted to. Nettle tops and tha
tender shoots of the pigeonberry were boiled
with little salt and meal, and eaten by many
persons Potato tops were eaten In the same
way and SO the season of want and distress was
bravely met and overcome by these gallant old
soldiers of the revolution and their families.
After the famine came the Indian wars, of
which we have spoken. and after the Indian
wars came great floods, and in 1879 another war
with Great Britain No body of men and women
had ever to encounter greater hardships and
dangers in their efforts to plant new State or
colony than did our forefathers who founded
Ohio.
The biographies of the distinguished men who
came to Ohio prior to the beginning OF this CEN
tury, would NIL large and closely printed vol
ume- have space only to mention one Of the
famous characters OF early days, Commodore
Abraham Whipple, who is buried In the Mound
Cemetery ut Marietta. His biography is
quantity, concisely and truthfully told on his
monument. 1t is as follows: